Cochrane reworks ‘Big League’ for Broncos

Tom Cochrane has released a reworked version of his song “Big League” and will donate all proceeds to a fund created to support those affected by the April 6 crash in Saskatchewan involving the Humboldt Broncos team bus and a tractor-trailer.

The Juno Award-winning signer and songwriter played an acoustic version of his revised song on April 10 to begin TSN’s NHL playoff preview special.

The song, originally featured on Cochrane’s 1988 album “Victory Day” with Red Rider, is written from the perspective of a father whose son was a hockey player with big dreams cut short by a truck driving in the wrong lane.

Many Canadians quickly linked the lyrics to the 16 people who died as a result of the crash and the 13 others who were injured, some critically.

Cochrane updated the lyrics to incorporate a new verse that drew closer parallels to the Broncos story: “All the right moves when he turned 18. Ridin’ to the game and ridin’ with his team. Ridin’ with their friends and ridin’ for their dreams. Ridin’ off to immortality in the big league.”

Universal Music says proceeds from the song will go to the Humboldt Strong Community Foundation, which was set up this week to administer funds raised through a GoFundMe page dedicated to the Humboldt Broncos.

The fund, which stopped accepting donations at midnight Wednesday, raised a total of $15,185,700.

Broncos president Kevin Garinger said earlier this week that the team would continue accepting donations through another organization to support “Humboldt Broncos players, employees, families and volunteers, as well as first responders and emergency services personnel, teams, athletes, related organizations and communities affected by the crash.”

“This single is dedicated to the Humboldt Broncos and their families, never to be forgotten,” Cochrane said in a news release from Universal Music.